AN: I don't own twilight!
Bella stared with a racing heart at the smirking blonde as she stepped out from between the police officers. Surely this couldn't be real! She had buried Lisa, side by side with Kate. She had mourned and sobbed, hated and grieved for the girl before her, and she wasn't even dead? How was this possible? How had she survived the bullet? How had she gotten out the grave?
Lisa wasted no time in playing the part: running forward as if swept up in a haze of joy and hugging Bella tightly, as if Bella hadn't played a part in her death, or helped Kate to hide her in the ground. Bella hugged her back at the police officer's encouragement as they misunderstood her hesitation.
What game was Lisa playing? Aside from the fact that she was meant to be dead, Bella didn't understand what she was seeing. Lisa was pretending like everything was peachy, and that the police had found her, and reconnected her with Bella: her missing sister. Why? Because she couldn't tell the truth without raising questions she couldn't answer?
Bella's eyes flashed to Kate's face once more, silently seeking much needed help and guidance, but Kate seemed to still be in shock, and was still ash white from tension. Lisa pulled away from Bella, bringing her attention back to her psychotic sister, and Bella had to hide her disgust at Lisa's blatant act as she wiped her now 'wet' eyes.
"Oh, Bella! I'm so glad that you're alright! I've been so worried about you!" She then promptly burst out crying again, and fell into Bella's arms.
Bella caught her once more with an, "oomph" of surprise and tried not to look too flabbergasted when a police officer sniffled at the 'reunion' of the two sisters. Tanya stepped forward suddenly, neither smiling nor frowning, as if she couldn't analyze the situation. She lay her hand on Bella's forearm and whispered, "we'll give you two a moment."
When the room had cleared out, taking Kate with it, and kicking up Bella's anxiety, Bella shoved Lisa off of her and stepped back, now letting the confusion wash over her face. Lisa stumbled but righted herself instantly, a smirk already gracing her lips as she straightened her clothing. "What's the matter, Bella? Not happy to see me?"
Bella snarled, much like she had as a wolf, and worried momentarily that her inner wolf was trying to take over her human body, as it had taken over her wolf body last night. "What the hell is going on? How are you alive?" She hissed.
Lisa curled her fingers towards her wrist and glanced at her nails as if she had all the time in the world. They were painted, and clean; not chipped and dirty as they had been when Bella had caught her peeling skin from the bone, or when she had been burying Lisa with Kate. Where had she cleaned up? How had she gotten out of that grave? How the hell was she alive?
Lisa finally looked up from inspecting her nails and stuffed her hand in her pocket. She wriggled around in it for a moment before pulling out a silver bullet coated with dried blood. "Do you like your birthday gift?" She whispered low and rough, avoiding Bella's questions.
Bella bit back a gasp, but it was clear Lisa knew she had gotten to her. She held the smirk on her face as she put her hand back in her pocket and released the bullet back into its depths. "Yes, Bella, that is the silver bullet your bitch of a girlfriend tried to kill me with."
Bella raised her eyebrow for a moment in surprise, simply because Lisa thought that her and Kate were together. Was that because Kate had lied for Bella, and helped Bella bury what they thought was a dead Lisa? Then realizing how ridiculous the line of questions was, Bella shook her head and focused on the problem at hand.
The bullet, not only having Lisa's blood on it: evidence of her injury, but possibly had Kate's prints on too. Not to mention that Kate was the sherriff of the town. Meaning that if Lisa decided to hand that bullet in with some bullshit story of how Kate had tried to kill her, innocent as she was, then the police department would know that bullet matched Kate's gun.
Bella had watched enough crappy crime dramas to know how these things worked. They'd see the bullet and gun matched, they would take Lisa's story, which would most likely involve Bella without mentioning the wolf parts of it, and Lisa's crazy plans, and then they would have Kate and Bella locked up.
Another thought struck Bella then, as she pictured her and Kate locked up together. Lisa was evil. What if she decided that she would just send down Kate with her lies, and keep Bella out of it? What if she continued to haunt her life, and make Bella 'submit' to her, as she had wanted? Lisa could destroy them both.
Either by sending them both to jail, or just sending Kate to jail, and keeping Bella as a plaything. Both options were horrible, and Lisa knew that she held these very real possibilities over Bella and Kate's head. In conclusion: Lisa held all the cards, and Bella hated it. "How are you alive?" Bella demanded once more.
Lisa smirked and rocked from side to side. "You would love to know, wouldn't you? So that you could figure out a way to kill me for good, right? Well I'm not stupid, Bella!" She sneered and then quietened her voice. "I won't tell you how I survived, because I know how smart you are, sister of mine, and I know that you'll figure out how to get rid of me for good."
Just as Bella opened her mouth to say something, although what that was going to be she wasn't quite sure, the two police officers knocked lightly on the door they had closed behind them and entered the room once more.
"Well girls, we have to take off right now. We'll be in touch, of course, as your case is still on going, but for now: goodbye, and enjoy being together again."
As Bella and Lisa mumbled their faked, enthusiastic goodbyes, Carmen and Eleazar both walked back into the room, taking up the spots left behind by the police officers. Bella had no choice but to act as if having Lisa back was the best thing in the world then, as she didn't want the Denali's to think something was wrong.
In order to keep up the act, she began to introduce Lisa to each of the Denali's as they filed back into the living room, each offering their congratulations and expressing how happy they were that, "Bella had her sister back again." While they lapsed into small talk with Lisa, Bella moved off to the side and grabbed Kate's arm, slipping them both out the room.
They both hurried out to the garden, checked that the coast was clear and then rounded on each other with matching wide eyes and white faces. Had the moment not been so deadly serious it may have been considered funny. "How the fucking hell did this happen?" Kate demanded.
"How am I supposed to know!?" Bella hissed, looking anxiously back at the house.
"Bella, I shot her! I shot her in the head with a silver bullet!"
"Yeah, Kate, I think I realized that when we were burying her!" Bella whisper-screamed back.
Kate ran her hands through her hair and tugged at the roots, her eyes still wide and her face white with terror. Bella waited out her panic attack, trying to figure out a plan but then the back door was opening and Carmen and Eleazar were there, smiling. "You guys coming in? We made you a cake Bella, and there's enough for Lisa too."
Bella smiled warmly, because she was genuinely thankful that they were being so accommodating and loving. Had this been a normal situation, there open acceptance of yet another teenage orphan with issues would have been amazing, and Bella appreciated that. "We're coming now, I just wanted to chat with Kate about my case from here," Bella lied.
The both nodded in understanding, looking sympathetic and shut the door once more. Bella and Kate resumed their panicking as Kate whispered, "for some reason, she's acting like everything's fine, so we have to too, just until we understand her motive."
"Great plan," Bella agreed sarcastically, nodding. "Accept for once thing."
"What?"
"She has the bullet."
"She has the bullet!?" Kate screeched.
Bella winced and quickly looked to the back door before looking at Kate again. "Keep your voice down! Yes, she has the bullet."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier!?"
"When was most convenient for you, Kate?" Bella whispered furiously. "When the police brought her in, or when all your family were offering their congratulations!"
"Why are we arguing?!" Kate suddenly demanded, stepping closer.
Bella took a deep breath through her nose and nodded. "You're right. This is pointless, and I bet this is what she wants. We can't fall apart; we have to stick together."
The back door opened once more, startling Bella into stepping back from Kate after realizing how close they had stepped together. It was Lisa. Kate scowled, and Bella grimaced. Kate needed to reign in her temper. Lisa had evidence on them, and one wrong move, one chance for Kate to piss her off, and Lisa could destroy them both.
"What'cha talking about?" She giggled in a childlike voice.
This made Bella think of a five-year-old Lisa killing the little boy who had bulled her, smiling sweetly and with piggy tails and a bow in her hair. The quick image made Bella shudder and feel sick all at once. Bella was glad Kate chose to answer, because she was fighting the sudden ball in her throat.
"You have to leave," Kate demanded abruptly.
Lisa didn't seem bothered by the bluntness of Kate's tone. In fact, she began to laugh as if Kate had cracked a joke. "Don't worry, sherriff," she smirked with a sarcastic drawl. "I wouldn't stay here even if you paid me. You might try and kill me in my sleep… again. No, I'll be staying with my Mate."
Bella noticed the implied difference between, 'mate' as friend, and the way Lisa said, 'Mate' which suggested a wolf bonding. For some reason, Bella remembered that Lisa changed at will, unlike herself, who changed on the full moon, and Lisa taunting Bella with the fact that she didn't know why. Was that because she was Mated?
As Lisa picked up on the silence, and the lack of enthusiasm to her statement, she added, "I believe you bumped into his pack earlier, Bella?"
Lisa's grin turned smug as Bella's face hardened, but it was Kate who spoke. "What's she talking about, Bella? Just how many god damn werewolves are there around here?"
Bella threw Kate a pointed look that blatantly said, 'remember that we're not letting her get between us,' but said aloud, "I don't know. There's a few. Some good, and some bad."
Kate seemed to ignore her silent communication and instead sighed deeply while rubbing her temples like she had a serious migraine coming along. "Fucking hell. This is just crazy. What do you mean, "some good, and some bad"? What exactly is going on?"
Lisa chuckled, interrupting Bella's attempt at an explanation. "We fight each other. The pack that Bella's going to join, I assume, broke the initial pack and stole from us, which caused the divide."
"They didn't steal anything," Bella scoffed. "Your pack treated the people like animals."
Lisa growled at her sister, and it was far too animalistic from her human throat, in the bright day of reality to not give Bella goosebumps. "We did nothing of the sort. Your pack was in their rightful place!"
Bella clenched her fists in annoyance and then remembered that they weren't even her pack. Why was she getting so defensive of them? She had helped them fight last night, so what? Bella had been in a few scraps when she was younger for people she barely knew, or didn't give two shits about. A fight was a fight. It didn't mean she was obligated to the pack… did it?
Lisa held up her hand and then waved it in Bella's face. "I'm going. I've wasted far too much time in your presence." She pulled a face like she'd sucked a lemon before turning to leave. As she shut the back door she laughed, "see you for breakfast! You serve human meat, right?"
Lisa disappeared through the door and slammed it shut behind her, leaving Kate and Bella to look at other awkwardly. Kate, for her part, looked like she was about to combust with how her once white face was now flooding with red. Bella shivered in the cold wind and Kate cocked her head as if to say, 'follow me.'
Bella followed Kate through the house. She was unsure where they were going at first as she hadn't explored the house as much as she initially wanted too. She usually just stuck to her room and sometimes the living room if she wasn't washing or eating. It wasn't until Kate opened the door and ushered her inside did Bella realize that it was Kate's room.
It was as neat as a pin, which Bella wasn't surprised about. There was a large double bed, a T.V on the wall, some shelves filled with clutter and a walk in closet. Bella spied a few books on the shelves and the neatly concealed door that seemed to lead into a bathroom. From that direction Bella could smell Kate's usual perfume.
Kate took up Bella's attention again by sighing loudly and throwing herself down on the end of her neatly made bed. "Fucking hell. What are we going to do? What do you think she said to the police?" Kate muttered.
Bella shrugged. "Probably some bullshit about an escape. She's calculating. She would have said something about it being nighttime so she wouldn't have to provide location details, I'm betting."
Kate nodded, staring at a spot in the carpet intensely as the puzzled through Bella's words. Bella felt too awkward standing so she sat on the edge of Kate's bed without asking. Kate had slept in Bella's bed, so she didn't feel like it was too far-fetched to think that Kate would allow her to sit on the edge of her mattress.
"So what did she say to you completely?" Kate asked, still staring at the carpet, unblinking.
Bella followed her gaze and looked at the same spot. "She showed me the bullet. She didn't say it exactly, but I got the gist that she would hand us in if we pissed her off. She also said she wouldn't tell me how she was alive, because she knew I was smart enough to then figure out how she could die for good."
Kate sighed and briskly rubbed her face with her two palms, ruffling the hairs of her eyebrows and making them stand up. "Okay. Give me some time to think about a plan, and come back to my room tonight."
Bella didn't really want to leave Kate, or the comfort of her room, but she could tell that it was a gentle dismissal and decided to do as she was asked. Not knowing what to do with herself, Bella went downstairs to the rest of the Denali's and stuffed her face with birthday cake, faking her happiness whenever Lisa was mentioned.
Apparently Lisa had told them all that she would be around for breakfast, and being the loving family they were, they hadn't said anything but yes. Sometimes Bella wished the Denali's weren't so open and loving. Tanya was excitable that they were celebrating Bella's birthday and even cut Bella's huge slices of cake.
Irina was a party pooper and said she had only had a few hours' sleep, not to mention she had to get back to the club soon, and so took herself to bed. Kate stayed in her room, no doubt worrying herself sick, which made Bella feel terrible every time she thought about her. Carmen and Eleazar were their normal, cheery selves and talked about Lisa as much as they could.
Finally, after the hours had dragged by and Bella felt enough time had reasonably passed for her to show her gratitude for the cake and small spread put out, she excused herself with bullshit about, 'all the excitement tiring her out,' and, 'needing a walk to calm down,' after which she left the house.
She intended to go back to the pack she had met last night; the one she had fought with. Bella was still quite tired after falling into bed at dawn and being woken up at ten, but the brisk air put some color back into her cheeks and some life back into her movements. It was eerily quiet the closer she got to the village and a small part of her became nervous.
After the long trek upwards, along the slightly rocky path and then further on still, Bella finally came to the fallen tree which was intersected with large rocks. The rocks were slimy and wet with moss and other elements when Bella used them to climb over the tree trunk and she had to fight through more trees and branches afterwards.
After finally pushing through the millions of obstacles in her way, Bella managed to get into the village. It was busy and alive with noise. People scurried left and right, not even sparing her a glance as she made her way to the hut built into the rocky cave she had visited previously. Bella knocked lightly on the wooden door and it opened immediately.
"Bella!" The pale woman greeted her. "I was hoping you would come. Please: follow me."
Bella smiled politely as there was no room for her to answer back and was about to follow the woman inside when instead the woman stepped out the door. Bella frowned in confusion but otherwise followed without comment. When they did stop it was at a cliffs edge that gave Bella a breath taking view of the forest bellow intersected with mountains and sparkling rivers.
Bella opened her mouth to start the conversation, but the woman spoke over her. "I want to introduce myself: I'm Calisto Atheries, and I will be your teacher."
Bella raised her eyebrow. "Teacher?"
Calisto didn't seem fazed by Bella's surprise, and instead nodded. "You can call me Cali, if you'd like. Everyone else does. Now I know you had your first transformation last night, and you did so well, by the way! However, I'm sure you don't want to go through that every time, do you?"
Bella stayed silent because she wasn't sure if Cali meant the agony of the transformation, the awareness in her wolf, or the way her wolf took over her, or possibly all three. Cali noticed her confusion and clarified, "the bone breaking agony?"
Bella nodded, grimacing at the memory of the horrendous pain and yet being unable to scream. Cali nodded somberly, and Bella was startled by how soothed she felt to know that someone else had experienced such unimaginable torture. It made her feel… better, about the pain. Cali smiled gently and continued speaking. "I'm going to teach you all you need to know, dear."
Bella wrapped her arms around herself, fighting off the chill of the day. "Like what?"
Cali looked over the views and away from Bella, but continued to speak. "How to control your animal, how to hunt, how to defend yourself and anything else you need to know… you see that path there?" She asked suddenly, pointing out what Bella thought at first was a large rock.
Bella took a step forward and squinted at the rock, staring for a quite a while in silence before finally noticing the barely distinguished road that wound around the rock and disappeared from sight. Bella scowled at how long it had taken to find it and asked, "isn't my eyesight meant to be super definition now?"
Cali laughed softly and Bella looked to her with red cheeks, feeling as if that was a ridiculous question. "Many people think that. It's a myth. Our human bodies are human. Our wolf bodies, are wolf. With their senses, and not ours. We don't simply 'change' into a wolf, Bella. There is a wolf inside us, and we are two different beings entirely. That's very important to know."
Bella nodded her understanding and indicated the path again. "So why was you asking about that pathway?"
Cali looked back at the path and nodded as if remembering her initial point. "This is where we will start. Once we're past the rock and into the small tunnel, we'll begin your training." Bella had barely nodded before Cali said, "you lead," as if Bella lived here and she didn't.
Even so Bella did as she was asked and started towards the path. It was nerve wracking as they were on a literal cliffs edge and Bella was the clumsiest person in the world. She was terrified she would put her foot in front of her wrong and go plummeting off the edge. As they made their way, as slowly as possible, Bella asked, "why is it just the two of us?"
"These are our lands, and the other pack wouldn't come here."
Glad to have her mind taken off the sheer drop, Bella carried on the conversation with a, "why?"
Cali shrugged, which Bella only knew from the rustling of her clothes on the rock. "They don't like the smell, or something like that. No one really knows what that means. They just have their land, and we have ours. Careful now."
Bella looked over the path they were on, noticing the large body of water that flowed down from above them, over the edge they were on, and then into the depths below. Bella wondered if there was a pool at the bottom, and how tall this mountain was if the waterfall was coming from somewhere above her.
It took Bella a moment to realize that she would have to wade through the waterfall which would soak her jeans. She took a deep breath, braced herself, and stepped into it. "Fuck!" She shouted without deciding to. The water was so cold that it hurt. "Sorry," she mumbled immediately.
Cali only laughed behind her and continued to follow Bella through their trek through the current and finally to the tunnel that was nestled through the waterfall. "I'm going to get drenched, aren't I?" Bella deadpanned.
Cali laughed. "Should I have mentioned it?"
"Probably," Bella muttered sarcastically.
She braced herself once more and stepped through the water fall, giving a small screech at the unbelievably frigid water that soaked her. Once inside, and Cali behind her, Bella was advised to travel deeper into the narrow tunnel until she had to climb into a small pool. Apparently she had to get in it, hold her breath, swim through the small opening and come out on the other side.
Bella looked at Cali with wide eyes and mouth. "Why?" She spluttered. "Can't we just go through it here?" Cali shook her head, her eyes lit with laughter and said, "you're already wet aren't you?"
Bella groaned and decided to suck it up. She did as she was instructed: climbed into the small pool, went under the water, swam through the small opening and then emerged on the other side and gulped in a deep breath of air. As soon as Bella was out, Cali popped through and Bella helped the older woman from the cold pool.
The whole thing seemed pointless to Bella. They could have just spoke on the cliffs edge, or even at the tunnel opening. They didn't need to go to such lengths just to talk about simple things and drench themselves on a freezing cold day. The reason didn't become apparent to Bella until Cali said, "that was the first part of your training: following orders."
Bella flushed at the realization and followed Cali around a bend that led to a new opening into the rock. The opening led them straight into a surrounding forest and a small lake that seemed to connect at some point with the waterfall. As they approached the waterfall and then stopped, Cali seemed to finally be pleased with their location.
She turned to Bella and Bella noticed how red her scar looked with her face wet. "Soon, you will transform. I want you to be as relaxed as you can; don't fight it, and let it happen."
"What?" Bella gasped, her heart now racing from the sudden information. "How?" She demanded.
Cali ignored her panicking and instead said, "it won't hurt. Once you turn in the daylight, it will be easier for you to control yourself. Your wolf is a slave to the moon and so if you turn under the sun, the moon has less control. The only time you will ever feel pain is under the full moon."
"I don't understand," Bella admitted, her heart still racing.
Cali nodded. "I know. Just be quiet, and watch."
With that, the elderly woman began to strip her sodden clothes. Bella flushed hot in the cheeks and turned to look away, but Cali snarled, "look at me!" Bella's head snapped to the older woman in not just surprise, but submission. She felt it like a heavy blanket on her bones making her body taunt with tension at the order.
No matter how much she wanted to, Bella couldn't look away. She had to watch instead as Cali stripped until she was in nothing but bare skin. As Bella looked at Cali, and Cali watched Bella, she felt a strange stirring inside her chest. Like something recognizing something else, but of what she couldn't pinpoint.
There was no pain but out of nowhere it felt like her chest had exploded and now her wolf was tearing through her ribcage to get out of her human skin. Bella fell to her knees with a gasp of surprise and then suddenly she was flung on her back as if someone had physically shoved her. It was the weirdest feeling: not experiencing pain but having her body contorted.
Before Bella knew it, she was on four legs, not two, and her whole world had changed in shape, color and sound. Cali continued to stand before her but now she was smiling with congratulations. Bella whined softly trying to ask, 'what now?' when Cali's whole body fluidly shrunk into a snowy white wolf with narrowed eyes.
Bella stared at the wolf, waiting for her next orders when a sensation like flowing water touched her mind. Without being able to describe it, all Bella could understand was that this was Cali. It had the distinct impression of her in the way that ever person had a unique scent or voice. Cali penetrated her mind with words.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Bow your head, Bella, and accept the connection.
Bella did as she was told without questioning once more and she felt something shift inside her head, like a bad telephone line becoming clearer and enabling her to communicate more efficiently with Cali.
I don't understand, Cali. How could I just change?
You changed because of me. In our species, there is one thing we love more than food: Mating. When you saw me naked, your wolf answered to the invitation.
Bella whined in surprise and Cali's wolf let out a snort that sounded like laughter.
That doesn't mean that you're attracted to me as a human, Bella. Remember that you and your wolf are two different beings. I told you that was important.
But… Bella hesitated, hoping her next question didn't sound ridiculous. Does that mean my wolf is 'gay'?
Bella asked the question with hesitation. Firs, because she hoped it didn't sound stupid and mostly because she didn't understand her human sexual preferences. She hadn't been with any men, or women, before due to her horrible circumstances and the ever present worry that whoever got close to her would be hurt. But she wasn't silly. She knew she liked Kate.
A lot.
No, Bella. Cali asked her previous question. Our wolves have no regard for gender. They are animals, and do not follow human conceptions. Your wolf simply noticed a willing fellow wolf and answered to the call. You may have noticed an excitable feeling towards other wolves.
Bella thought back to last night and how when the black wolves had showed up their scent had enticed her and made her heart beat wildly. Then they had tried to chase, hurt and corner her, which had made that enticement go away. Perhaps that was because Bella's wolf realized that they weren't willing and so didn't try to mate with them.
What does Mating have to do with the change?
If a wolf Mates, they can change at will, regardless of the time of, or day.
Without waiting for a reply from Bella, Cali began to run around the small lake. Bella copied her as she remembered how much had enjoyed this last night. Time trickled on as they raced each other and indulged in some playful competition and soon the skies were dark. By the time droplets of rain began to splash against the lake surface, Cali came to a stop.
Cali advised Bella to drink from the lake after noticing her panting chest and lolling tongue. Nice isn't it? She asked. Bella bowed her large head in agreement. Now take in the scents around you, Bella.
Bella wasn't sure what she smelt that made her release a whine of contentment but the sound was out of her mouth nearly as soon as she had taken a deep inhale. This seemed to appease Cali though because she said, good. Now follow me back to the cave.
They raced along once more, playfully competing each other as the rain lashed down and soaked their fur and the mud. The slick mud caused them to leave paw prints behind every time they stepped down on it and sprayed dirt along their legs. Bella nearly slid in surprise at the loud roar that came up ahead.
Immediately she knew that it wasn't a fellow wolf, but something equally powerful in size and strength. Cali stopped and Bella copied the movement.
A grizzly. A great first test. I saw you fight wolves, but bears are more of a challenge.
Bella whined low, knowing this had been the scent from earlier. She wanted that bear right now. She wanted it to be her kill and she wanted to eat it. It must have spotted the two wolves and understood the threats they presented because it stood up on two legs and roared louder. Bella was nervous, but she decided doing it now would be better.
With new bravado, she took a running leap at the bear and swiped her claws across its face with a roar of her own. The bear reacted and sank its claws into her fur, using the grip to shove Bella into the mud. Bella howled in pain and got back up despite the angry wound now on her side and ran at the bear once more.
With a quick glance over the creature with her eyes, Bella noticed an unhealed and raw cut on its leg. A weak spot. Taking another run at the bear and the bear doing the same, the two clashed in the middle and began tearing into each other's fur and muscle with sharp claws. Bella howled in pain and bit down hard on the bears shoulder.
The creature reacted by removing a paw from her side and swiping it at her face instead. It made a good connection and Bella felt fur pull away from her face. She roared in agony and dived for its leg, biting into it savagely. The bear hit Bella with its paw once again, trying to get her off, but she gnawed on the wound until she had reached the bone.
Now with a bad cut and broken leg, the bear was weak enough for Bella to sink her claws into its side once more and simultaneously her teeth into its neck. With enough pressure from her jaw and a tight grip, it didn't take long for Bella to snap the creatures neck. When it was dead and on the floor, Bella devoured it raw.
When she had finally finished, she moved from the carcass with a wet muzzle and looked to Cali for her approval. Cali's large head bowed as if she had given it and then she said, well done, Bella. That was a tough fight, and I'm glad to see you healing already. We must head back now. Your training is not complete.
For a large majority of the day Cali forced Bella to turn from human to wolf, and wolf to human, and back again as much as physically possible in the 'daylight' hours despite the sun beginning to go down. Bella couldn't change at will yet, because she wasn't 'Mated' but she could change when she saw Cali naked, as her wolf answered to the invitation.
It wasn't until nearly ten o'clock on the night when an exhausted, soaked and muddy Bella dragged herself through the Denali's front door and up the stairs. After a long, hot shower, Bella's sore muscles were more relaxed and she was clean but still incredibly tired. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but remembered that Kate wanted to see her.
Bella made her way to Kate's room and let herself in after a receiving a, 'come in' from her small knock. As she entered, thoughts of Lisa plagued her mind and she worried that she should have told Cali about her sister and that she was part of the pack they had been fighting for years. Bella pushed these thoughts aside as she noticed Kate on the end of her bed.
A hot flush started at Bella's cheeks and worked its way down her neck and into her chest, turning her skin a deep red at the sight of Kate in short pajama pants and a tight tank top. Bella prayed that Kate thought it was due to the heat of the house. "How was work?" She asked quickly.
Kate sighed deeply, clearly stressed. "Crazy. I'm the head of the team on your case and it's awful reviewing evidence when I know the truth. Anyway, how was your day?"
Bella shrugged and sat next to Kate on the bed. "Okay. I went to see the pack. They taught me a few essential things."
Kate nodded and tried to look interested but she yawned, belaying how tired she was too. "Do you want me to leave?" Bella asked, worried that she was intruding on Kate's sleeping time.
"No! No, no. I'm just tired. I'd actually like some company. Fancy watching some T.V?"
Bella hesitated but finally nodded. "Sure."
"Okay. You get into bed, and I'll get the lights."
Bella smiled, her stomach fluttering. She was getting into Kate's bed, and sharing it with her. Bella tried not to read too much into it, but she couldn't help the butterflies that swarmed inside her as she climbed into bed and waited for Kate to get in too. When she finally did, she grabbed the remote and put on a random movie channel.
They lay side by side for a few minutes. Their skin was barely touching but Bella could tell how warm her skin was compared to Kate's. Bella kept her eyes on the television, but she noticed from the corner and the rustling sheets that Kate moved closer. Her heart pounded harder against her chest and her breathing picked up.
Suddenly Kate's hand was hesitantly brushing against the exposed skin of Bella's stomach. Bella gasped softly as her stomach tightened in response and looked at Kate for an explanation. The blonde didn't say anything for a few moments before she said, "I think you're beautiful."
Bella flushed, her stomach a mess of butterflies, her skin covered in goosebumps and her head racing. "I think you're beautiful too."
Kate grinned and her perfectly white teeth gleamed in the darkness. "Then I can do this. Finally."
Bella gasped and it turned into a low moan as Kate threw herself forward and pressed a hot and desperate kiss to Bella's lips. Soon the two woman were kissing with teeth and tongue, grasping at each other's clothes and fighting for dominance. Not even minutes later, both of their clothes were on the floor.
AN: Thanks to my beta LeighJ11